Olympic Aquatics Stadium gets water polo workout in Rio 2016 test event
Third test event at new venue in Barra Olympic Park will see four junior sides from Rio help Games organisers fine tune preparations
The Olympic Aquatics Stadium will host swimming and water polo (Getty Images/Buda Mendes)
Four young water polo teams from Brazil are facing off in the brand-new Olympic Aquatics Stadium this week, helping to ensure that the venue has everything in place for the start of Olympic competition in August.
The venue, which is a model of sustainable architecture, will stage the Olympic swimming competitions from 6 to 13 August before hosting the final stages of the water polo tournament from 14 to 20 August, then Paralympic swimming from 8 to 17 September. Its fast pool has already staged test events for Olympic swimming and swimming.
The water polo test event (25-29 April) will feature four junior men's teams – all from Rio – as the venue is again put through its paces. “Every team needs to train to perform well. The people here – coordinators, supervisors and staff – are no different to the athletes and we are preparing everything for the Games,” said Paulo Cezar Fernandes, water polo manager at Rio 2016.
Become a water polo expert with our interactive infographic
The venue will have to comply with rigorous rules for the Olympic water polo competition, including temperature requirements. Raul Amaya, one of the coaches of the teams participating in the test event, says that at the Barcelona 2013 World Aquatics Championships ice had to be added to the pool to bring the temperature down to the regulated limit.
João Brandão, the manager of another of the junior teams involved, is also the video analyst of the Brazilian national side. He says he will be using the event to become better acquainted with the layout of the venue before he swings into action in August, when his job will be to film Brazil's opponents in search of any weak spots.
The Olympic Aquatics Stadium is wrapped in a work of art by Adriana Varejão (Photo: Rio 2016/Alex Ferro)
The groups for the men's and women's Olympic water polo events at Rio 2016 were drawn earlier this month. Most of the round-robin games will take place in the renovated Maria Lenk Aquatics Centre. The knock-out games will all be held in the Olympic Aquatics Stadium.
Related links
Hungary for glory: water polo powerhouse targets Olympic gold after qualifying in style
Russia win Olympic place on penalties as women’s water polo line-up is confirmed
The sea and angels in a baroque style… introducing the look of the Rio 2016 Olympic Aquatics Stadium
New wave of USA water polo women aiming to maintain dynasty at Rio 2016
USA water polo captain Tony Azevedo using pain of London 2012 as spur for Rio 2016
